The Responsible Meat Initiative (ReMI) criteria aims to provide action areas and targets to achieve ambitious progress in the pork supply chain. It aligns with overall global sustainability targets such as the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Based on a literature review, stakeholder input and existing frameworks, we have derived the main aspects for a responsible pork value chain. We took the following considerations into account in its compilation:
- Responsible production encompasses scientific and value-based thinking. The initiative strives to find a meaningful mix between environmental and economic efficiency, and social and welfare considerations. Where there are trade-offs between these categories, such as animal welfare and resource use, they must be transparent and drive innovative collaborative solutions– globally and in specific local contexts.
- Pork production impacts the achieving of the SDGs and pushes planetary boundaries. Better defining and acknowledging the impacts, such as on biodiversity, nitrogen, land-use, human health and animal welfare, will be an important step in achieving these high-level objectives for the planet.
- Pre-competitive cooperation is the primary focus of action to stimulate better production practices.
ReMI defines seven criteria. This content aims to describe these topics and potential challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the industry. It identified solution pathways and the actors involved. ReMI members shared some examples to demonstrate their strategies, policies and programs related to some of these criteria.